Transparent show-jar.



No. 796,752. PATENTBD AUG. 8, 1905.

K. PANAY.

TRANSPARENT SHOW JAR. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12, 1904.

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PATENTED AUG. 8, 1905.

K. PANAY. TRANSPARENT SHOW JAR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.12, 1904.

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A TTORNEYS' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TRANSPARENT SHOW-JAR- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1905.

Application filed September 12, 1904:. Serial No. 224,128.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, KARL PANAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Transparent Show-Jars, of which the following is a specification. 4

My invention relates to improvements in that class of transparent show-jars for which Letters Patent N o. 7 22,7 45 were issued to me March 17, 1903, and it pertains more espe cially, first, to the automatic mechanism for closing the doors of the several compartments; second, to the adjustable mechanism for temporarily holding any oneor more of the doors of the compartments open while removing the contents of such compartments or while cleaning the same; third, to the device for simultaneously opening and closing the doors of the several compartments at the same time; fourth, to the device for locking the doors of any one or more of the different compartments in their closed position; fifth, to the device for storing moisture in the receptacle,

whereby the contents are prevented from becoming dry, and sixth, to the general construction of the case comprising a glass chamber or body portion and a metallic door-frame and bottom plate. I

The construction of my invention is eX- plained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents an end view, partly broken away to show the interior. Fig. 2 is a side view of one end of one of the compartments. Fig. 3 is a side view showing the door locked in its open position. Fig. 4 represents an end view of the door-frame having angular instead of curved or rounded corners. Fig. 5 represents a side view of a modified form of show-jar having a metallic door-frame and bottom plate formed integrally. Fig. 6 shows a combination of a plurality of showjars connected together upon a single supporting-base. Fig. 7 is a modified form of the door and its inclosing frame provided with a receptacle for dampening-pads and a device for locking the door in its closed position, and Fig. 8 represents a vertical section of the device shown in Fig. 7.

Like parts are identified by the same reference-letters throughout the several views.

My show-jar proper comprises the transparent horizontal receptacle A, which is preferably formed of glass, metallic door B, and metallic door-frame C,door-supporting hinges D, and a door-actuating spring. The door-supporting hinges comprise the lugs G G, formed integrally with the door, and the lugs H H, formed integrally with the door-frame, and hinge-rod I, which extends through both pairs of lugs G and H and serves to support the closing-spring. The closing-spring comprises the central spirally-wound portions J, which are supported upon the hinge-rod I, the arm K,

which bears against the under side of the doorframe, and the arms or bearings L L, which bear against the front of the door. Thus it is obvious that as the door is opened the tension of the closing-spring is increased and when the door is released it is closed by the recoil of the spring acting against the front of the door. The door is locked in its open position by the doorretaining bail M. The bail M is pivotally supported at its respective ends from the doorframe by the pins N N and the pin-supporting lugs O O and the lower end of the doorsupporting lugs H. The door-retaining bail M is retained in contact with the door-hinges by the action of the spiral springs P, while the lower end of the door-hinges G are provided with retaining-catches Q for the reception of the door-retaining bail M. Thus it will be understood that when the door is thrown from the vertical to the horizontal position catches Q of the door engage the bail M, whereby the same is locked inthe open position. When desirous to close the door, it is simply necessary to press the door downwardly slightly and to draw the bail forwardly, so as to disengage the same from the catches, when the door will be automatically thrown to its closed position by the action of the closing-spring. In view of the fact that it is seldom necessary to lock the door in its open positionand that it is usually preferable to have the same closed as soon as released from the hand of the operator it becomes necessary to provide means for holding the door-retaining bail M out of locking position with the door, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, which end is accomplished by engaging the center of the bail M in the hook R of the arm K. It will be understood that the bail M is released from the hook R by simply drawing the latter forwardly slightly, when the bail will be thrown to the horizontal position indicated in Fig. 3 by the actuatingsprings P.

While I have heretofore formed the chamber of the show-jar A of a single piece of glass comprising its sides and bottom plate, I preferably form said chamber open at its lower side and provide the same with a metallic bottom plate S and door-frame T formed integrally, and while I have heretofore formed said jars with a curved top at one end I preferably form the same in the angular shape shown in Figs. 4 and 5, as the contents of thejar may be more readily seen through the fiat surfaces of the jars than through the convex surfaces heretofore used.

The glass receptacles, the metallic doorframes, and bottom pieces are secured together by cement or other adhesive substances in the ordinary manner.

U is a handle or operating-hook by which the door is opened and closed.

It is a well-known fact that it is often desirous to put up a variety of confections in the same package, and when so doing it is often desirable to open more than one compartment at the same time, as much time is thereby saved. To accomplish this object, I have provided a device for opening and closing the doors of a plurality of show-jars at the same time.

A represents a table orcounter upon which a plurality of the show-jars B are supported in the ordinary manner.

G is a hinge-rod which is revolubly connected at its respective ends with the table A by the retaining-lugs D D, in which lugsit is adapted to turn. E E are operating-handles which are respectively rigidly affixed at their lower ends to said rods C.

F is a door-actuating rod which is pivotally connected at one end to one of the handles E by a pivotal bolt Gr and detachably connected with the other handle E by a hook H. Thus it is obvious that when the handles E are in the vertical position indicated in Fig. 6 the door-actuating rod F may be simultaneously caused to engage in the handles or hooks U of the doors of several of the compartments at the same time, as indicated in said Fig. 6, and that when the rod F is thus engaged the doors of all of said compartments may be simultaneously opened by moving one of the handles E from the vertical to the horizontal position, and that all of said doors may be closed by a reverse movement of said handle. When, however, it is desirous to open a single compartment at a time, the rod F is disengaged from said handles and the free end permitted to rest upon the floor or table.

It will be understood that by releasing the bail M from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of any one or more of the compartments the doors of all the compartments connected with the rod F will be retained in their open position by the action of such bail.

To provide for preventing the escape of moisture from the confections and to retain the same in their original condition in which they are placed in the showjars, it becomes necessary to form an air-tight packing between the cover and the door-frame. For this purpose I have provided the door-frame with marginal grooves I for the reception of an elastic packing J. For a packing I preferably use soft flexible sponge-rubber which is especially formed of the right dimensions to closely fit said grooves and which is adapted to form a tight joint between the frame and the cover when the latter is closed.

To prevent confections from drying, I preferably provide the door B with a pocket K for the reception of sponge, asbestos, or other absorbent L adapted to retain moisture. The pocket K is preferably provided with a month at its upper side when the door is in its vertical position, and the vertical wall is provided with a plurality of apertures M to facilitate the evaporation of the moisture.

In the preferred form of show-jar shown in Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown means for locking the door in its closed position, comprising a swinging arm N, which is pivotally connected with the frame of the door P by a retaining-bolt O and adapted to bear at its free end against the angular contact-bearing surface O of the door, said surface O being tapered from the surface of the door outwardly in such a manner that the door is forced back against its elastic packing by contact with said arm N as the latter is forced forwardly over its bearing-surface, whereby a close joint is formed between the door and the door-inclosing frame.

While I have shown and described my device as used for storing and preserving confections, it will be understood that the same is equally adapted to be used for other purposes and that the mechanism for holding, operating,and locking the doors is equally adapted to be used in connection with show jars and receptacles of great variety of kinds and for a great variety of purposes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a horizontal show-jar, the combination of a horizontally-arranged transparent receptacle; a door-supporting frame inclosing one end of said receptacle; two sets of doorsupporting hinges a door supported by said hinges from said frame; a door-closing spring supported from said hinges adapted to hold said door in its closed position and means for automatically locking said door in its open position.

2. In a horizontal show-jar, the combination of a horizontally-arranged transparent receptacle; a door-supporting frame; two sets of door-supporting hinges a door-closing spring supported from said hinges adapted to hold said door in its closed position; a bail supported from the door-frame adapted to automatically engage the door as it is being opened and retain the same in its open position and means for retaining said bail out of engagement with the 'door when desired, whereby the door will be automatically closed, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a horizontal receptacle; a door-inclosing frame; door-supporting hinges connecting said door with said frame; a door-closing spring supported from said hinges; a door-retaining bail pivotally supported from said door-frame; a bail-actuating spring adapted to normally throw said bail into locking engagement with said door when opened; and means for retaining said bail out of locking engagement with the door when desired, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4:. In a horizontal show-jar, the combination of a horizontally-arranged transparent receptacle; a door-supporting frame; two sets of door-hinges adoor supported by said hinges from said frame; an elastic packing interposed between said door and frame; a doorclosing spring supported from said hinges and adapted to hold said door in its closed position; means for automatically locking said door in its open position and means for locking and holding the door firmly against its elastic packing in its closed position.

5. The combination of a plurality of horizontally-arranged showjars respectively provided with hinges and hinge-supported doors and door-closing springs; means for connecting the doors of several of said show-jars to gether preparatory to simultaneously opening and closing the same and means for automatically locking all of said doors in their open position, when desired, all substantially as, and for the purpose specified.

6. In a horizontal show-jar, the combination of a horizontally-arranged transparent receptacle open at its lower side and one end; a metallic door-supporting frame and bottom plate formed integrally for the reception of said horizontal receptacle; adoor-supporting frame; door-hinges a door supported by said hinges from said frame and means for automatically closing and retaining said door in its closed position, substantially as set forth.

its elastic packing in its closed position,

whereby the moisture from said moisteningpad and the contents of the receptacle are prevented from escaping from said receptacle. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

KARL PANAY. Witnesses:

J AS. B. ERWIN, O. R. ERWIN. 

